Early Warning and Conflict Prevention Responsibilities of the International Community

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alice Ackermann
Keyword(s):  
Early Warning ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Armed Conflicts ◽  
Conflict Prevention ◽  
Missed Opportunities ◽  
Response Options ◽  
Qualitative Approaches ◽  
Humanitarian Crises

As human tragedies—such as armed conflicts, humanitarian crises, crimes against humanity, and genocide—continue to occur, early warning and conflict prevention are essential comprehensive subjects in any crisis and conflict prevention architecture. Early warning refers to the collection and analysis of information about potential crisis and conflict situations for the purpose of preventing the onset and escalation of such situations, preferably through appropriate preventive response options. Indeed, qualitative approaches to early warning and prevention have produced an impressive list of preventive mechanisms and tools, ranging from non-military—such as political and economic inducements, fact-finding, dialogue, and negotiations—to military ones, such as preventive missions. Meanwhile, a more theoretical and empirically guided approach has made extensive use of quantitative methods to create data-based predictive models for assessing risks of complex humanitarian crises, political instability and state failure, intrastate and ethnopolitical conflicts, and genocide and politicide, as well as other massive human rights violations. There are three types of analysis of risk assessment: the first makes use of structural indicators, the second of sequential models, and the third of inductive methods. However, there are challenges in early warning and conflict prevention posed by the warning-response gap and the issue of “missed opportunities” to prevent. At present, there is no U.N.-wide coordinated early warning system. Nevertheless, several efforts in establishing operational early warning systems on the level of regional and subregional organizations can be identified.

scholarly journals Fluctuating Rainfall, Persistent Food Crisis—Use of Rainfall Data in the Kenyan Drought Early Warning System

Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1328
Author(s):  
Sofie Sandström ◽  
Sirkku Juhola ◽  
Aleksi Räsänen
Keyword(s):  
Early Warning ◽  
Food Systems ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Meteorological Drought ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Rainfall Data ◽  
Humanitarian Crises ◽  
Drought Early Warning ◽  
Systems Framework

Early warning systems (EWSs) have been developed to trigger timely action to disasters, yet persistent humanitarian crises resulting from hazards such as drought indicate that these systems need improvements. We focus our research on the county of Turkana in Kenya, where drought repeatedly results in humanitarian crises, especially with regard to food insecurity. Focusing on the key elements of the Kenyan EWS, we ask two questions: firstly, what indicators, especially meteorological drought indicators, are used in the national biannual assessments conducted by the Kenyan National Drought Management Authority and monthly drought bulletins for Turkana? Secondly, are there differences in the methodology used for analysis of meteorological indicators in the different documents? Firstly, by utilizing a food systems framework, we conduct qualitative content analysis of the use of indicators in the documents; secondly, we analyze rainfall data and its use. The EWS relies primarily on food availability indicators, with less focus for food access and utilization. The biannual assessments and the country bulletins use different sets of rainfall data and different methodologies for establishing the climate normal, leading to discrepancies in the output of the EWS. We recommend further steps to be taken towards standardization of methodologies and cooperation between various institutions to ensure streamlining of approaches.

scholarly journals Community Assessment of Flood Risks and Early Warning System in Ratu Watershed, Koshi Basin, Nepal

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 3577
Author(s):  
Sagar Ratna Bajracharya ◽  
Narendra Raj Khanal ◽  
Pashupati Nepal ◽  
Sundar Kumar Rai ◽  
Pawan Kumar Ghimire ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Warning ◽  
Early Warning System ◽  
Quantitative Methods ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Community Assessment ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Flood Risks ◽  
Qualitative And Quantitative Methods ◽  
Koshi Basin

Nepal is highly vulnerable to flood-related disasters which cause considerable loss of lives and property. The vulnerability of communities to flood-related hazards can be reduced by proper planning, preparedness, and responses using various structural and nonstructural measures. The community-based flood early warning system is one such tool that enables local communities to enhance their resilience to flooding risks. This paper highlights the efficacy of the community assessment of flood risks and early warning systems. Using qualitative and quantitative methods, this paper evaluates the progress of a community-based flood early warning system implemented in the Ratu River—a small tributary of the Koshi River. The establishment of a community network in 2015 was instrumental in the dissemination of flood early warning information and in building local capacities to understand the risks and take timely action. The flood early warning resulted in awareness-raising, strengthened upstream–downstream linkages, and resulted in a greater willingness among communities to help each other prepare for flood disasters in the Ratu watershed.

scholarly journals Brief communication "Landslide Early Warning System: toolbox and general concepts"

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-90 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Intrieri ◽  
G. Gigli ◽  
N. Casagli ◽  
F. Nadim
Keyword(s):  
Early Warning ◽  
Early Warning System ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
End Users ◽  
Flow Chart ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Limited Experience ◽  
Practical Guidelines ◽  
Landslide Early Warning

Abstract. We define landslide Early Warning Systems and present practical guidelines to assist end-users with limited experience in the design of landslide Early Warning Systems (EWSs). In particular, two flow chart-based tools coming from the results of the SafeLand project (7th Framework Program) have been created to make them as simple and general as possible and in compliance with a variety of landslide types and settings at single slope scale. We point out that it is not possible to cover all the real landslide early warning situations that might occur, therefore it will be necessary for end-users to adapt the procedure to local peculiarities of the locations where the landslide EWS will be operated.

scholarly journals Communication architecture of an early warning system

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 2215-2228 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Angermann ◽  
M. Guenther ◽  
K. Wendlandt
Keyword(s):  
Early Warning ◽  
Early Warning System ◽  
Satellite Communication ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Communication Architecture ◽  
Design And Implementation ◽  
Communication Links

Abstract. This article discusses aspects of communication architecture for early warning systems (EWS) in general and gives details of the specific communication architecture of an early warning system against tsunamis. While its sensors are the "eyes and ears" of a warning system and enable the system to sense physical effects, its communication links and terminals are its "nerves and mouth" which transport measurements and estimates within the system and eventually warnings towards the affected population. Designing the communication architecture of an EWS against tsunamis is particularly challenging. Its sensors are typically very heterogeneous and spread several thousand kilometers apart. They are often located in remote areas and belong to different organizations. Similarly, the geographic spread of the potentially affected population is wide. Moreover, a failure to deliver a warning has fatal consequences. Yet, the communication infrastructure is likely to be affected by the disaster itself. Based on an analysis of the criticality, vulnerability and availability of communication means, we describe the design and implementation of a communication system that employs both terrestrial and satellite communication links. We believe that many of the issues we encountered during our work in the GITEWS project (German Indonesian Tsunami Early Warning System, Rudloff et al., 2009) on the design and implementation communication architecture are also relevant for other types of warning systems. With this article, we intend to share our insights and lessons learned.

scholarly journals On building early-warning systems for preventing the deterioration of financial institutions’ performance

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 194-202
Author(s):  
Adrian Costea
Keyword(s):  
Financial Institutions ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Capital Adequacy ◽  
Self Organizing Map ◽  
Self Organizing Maps ◽  
Performance Dimensions ◽  
Som Model ◽  
Self Organizing

Abstract This paper assesses the financial performance of Romania’s non-banking financial institutions (NFIs) using a neural network training algorithm proposed by Kohonen, namely the Self-Organizing Maps algorithm. The algorithm takes the financial dataset and positiones each observation into a self-organizing map (a two-dimensional map) which can be latter used to visualize the trajectories of an individual NFI and explain it based on different performance dimensions, such as capital adequacy, assets’ quality and profitability. Further, we use the map as an early-warning system that would accurately forecast the NFIs future performance (whether they would stay or be eliminated from the NFI’s Special Register three quarters into the future). The results are promising: the model is able to correctly predict NFIs’ performance movements. Finally, we compared the results of our SOM-based model with those obtained by applying a multivariate logit-based model. The SOM model performed worse in discriminating the NFIs’ performance: the performance classes were not clearly defined and the model lacked the interpretability of the results. In the contrary, the multivariate logit coefficients have nice interpretability and an individual default probability estimate is obtained for each new observation. However, we can benefit from the results of both techniques: the visualization capabilities of the SOM model and the interpretability of multivariate logit-based model.

Toward a typology of weak-signal early alert systems: functional early warning systems in the post-COVID age

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jan Černý ◽  
Martin Potančok ◽  
Elias Castro Hernandez
Keyword(s):  
Peer Review ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Weak Signal ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Weak Signals ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Human In The Loop ◽  
Early Alert Systems

PurposeThe study aims to expand on the concept of an early warning system (EWS) by introducing weak-signal detection, human-in-the-loop (HIL) verification and response tuning as integral parts of an EWS's design.Design/methodology/approachThe authors bibliographically highlight the evolution of EWS over the last 30+ years, discuss instances of EWSs in various types of organizations and industries and highlight limitations of current systems.FindingsProposed system to be used in the transforming of weak signals to early warnings and associated weak/strong responses.Originality/valueThe authors contribute to existing literature by presenting (1) novel approaches to dealing with some of the well-known issues associated with contemporary EWS and (2) an event-agnostic heuristic for dealing with weak signals.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-11-2020-0513.

Torrent Monitoring and Early Warning Systems Development

2022 ◽  
pp. 195-216
Author(s):  
Dejan Vasović ◽  
Ratko Ristić ◽  
Muhamed Bajrić
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Management ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Early Warning System ◽  
Catchment Area ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Modern Society ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Small Catchment ◽  
National Emergency

The level of sustainability of a modern society is associated with the ability to manage unwanted stressors from the environment, regardless of origin. Torrential floods represent a hydrological hazard whose frequency and intensity have increased in recent years, mainly due to climate changes. In order to effectively manage the risks of torrents, it is necessary to apply early warning systems, since torrential floods are formed very quickly, especially on the watercourses of a small catchment area. The early warning system is part of a comprehensive torrential flood risk management system, seen as a technical entity for the collection, transformation, and rapid distribution of data. Modern early warning systems are the successors of rudimentary methods used in the past, and they are based on ICT and mobile applications developed in relation to the requirements of end users. The chapter presents an analysis of characteristic examples of the use. The main conclusion of the chapter indicates the need to implement early warning systems in national emergency management structures.

KLR Approach as an Early Warning Indicator of Turkish Currency and Banking Crisis in 2000 and 2001

2016 ◽  
pp. 222-239
Author(s):  
Filiz Eryılmaz
Keyword(s):  
Early Warning ◽  
Early Warning System ◽  
Financial Stability ◽  
Banking Crisis ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Window Approach ◽  
Global Growth

International organizations as private sector institutions started to develop Early Warning System [EWS] models aiming to anticipate whether and when individual countries can collide with a financial crisis. EWS models can be made most useful to help sustain global growth and maintain financial stability, especially in light of the lessons learned from the current and past crises. This paper proposes Early Warning Systems (EWS) for Turkish Currency and Banking Crisis in 2000 and 2001. To that end “KLR model” or “signaling window” approach developed by Kaminski, Lorezondo and Reinhart (1998) is testified in the empirical part of this research and applied to a sample of Turkey macroeconomic data for the 1998-2003 monthly periods.

scholarly journals Recognizing the Famine Early Warning Systems Network: Over 30 Years of Drought Early Warning Science Advances and Partnerships Promoting Global Food Security

2019 ◽  
Vol 100 (6) ◽  
pp. 1011-1027 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chris Funk ◽  
Shraddhanand Shukla ◽  
Wassila Mamadou Thiaw ◽  
James Rowland ◽  
Andrew Hoell ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Food Security ◽  
Early Warning ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Climate Extremes ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Food Prices ◽  
Humanitarian Assistance ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Recent Climate ◽  
Drought Early Warning

AbstractOn a planet with a population of more than 7 billion, how do we identify the millions of drought-afflicted people who face a real threat of livelihood disruption or death without humanitarian assistance? Typically, these people are poor and heavily dependent on rainfed agriculture and livestock. Most live in Africa, Central America, or Southwest Asia. When the rains fail, incomes diminish while food prices increase, cutting off the poorest (most often women and children) from access to adequate nutrition. As seen in Ethiopia in 1984 and Somalia in 2011, food shortages can lead to famine. Yet these slow-onset disasters also provide opportunities for effective intervention, as seen in Ethiopia in 2015 and Somalia in 2017. Since 1985, the U.S. Agency for International Development’s Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWS NET) has been providing evidence-based guidance for effective humanitarian relief efforts. FEWS NET depends on a Drought Early Warning System (DEWS) to help understand, monitor, model, and predict food insecurity. Here we provide an overview of FEWS NET’s DEWS using examples from recent climate extremes. While drought monitoring and prediction provides just one part of FEWS NET’s monitoring system, it draws from many disciplines—remote sensing, climate prediction, agroclimatic monitoring, and hydrologic modeling. Here we describe FEWS NET’s multiagency multidisciplinary DEWS and Food Security Outlooks. This DEWS uses diagnostic analyses to guide predictions. Midseason droughts are monitored using multiple cutting-edge Earth-observing systems. Crop and hydrologic models can translate these observations into impacts. The resulting information feeds into FEWS NET reports, helping to save lives by motivating and targeting timely humanitarian assistance.

scholarly journals Rainfall Threshold Estimation and Landslide Forecasting for Kalimpong, India Using SIGMA Model

Water ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 1195 ◽  
Author(s):  
Minu Treesa Abraham ◽  
Neelima Satyam ◽  
Sai Kushal ◽  
Ascanio Rosi ◽  
Biswajeet Pradhan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Early Warning ◽  
Sigma Model ◽  
Warning System ◽  
Daily Rainfall ◽  
Early Warning Systems ◽  
Rainfall Threshold ◽  
Integrated System ◽  
Warning Systems ◽  
Rainfall Forecasting ◽  
Rainfall Thresholds

Rainfall-induced landslides are among the most devastating natural disasters in hilly terrains and the reduction of the related risk has become paramount for public authorities. Between the several possible approaches, one of the most used is the development of early warning systems, so as the population can be rapidly warned, and the loss related to landslide can be reduced. Early warning systems which can forecast such disasters must hence be developed for zones which are susceptible to landslides, and have to be based on reliable scientific bases such as the SIGMA (sistema integrato gestione monitoraggio allerta—integrated system for management, monitoring and alerting) model, which is used in the regional landslide warning system developed for Emilia Romagna in Italy. The model uses statistical distribution of cumulative rainfall values as input and rainfall thresholds are defined as multiples of standard deviation. In this paper, the SIGMA model has been applied to the Kalimpong town in the Darjeeling Himalayas, which is among the regions most affected by landslides. The objectives of the study is twofold: (i) the definition of local rainfall thresholds for landslide occurrences in the Kalimpong region; (ii) testing the applicability of the SIGMA model in a physical setting completely different from one of the areas where it was first conceived and developed. To achieve these purposes, a calibration dataset of daily rainfall and landslides from 2010 to 2015 has been used; the results have then been validated using 2016 and 2017 data, which represent an independent dataset from the calibration one. The validation showed that the model correctly predicted all the reported landslide events in the region. Statistically, the SIGMA model for Kalimpong town is found to have 92% efficiency with a likelihood ratio of 11.28. This performance was deemed satisfactory, thus SIGMA can be integrated with rainfall forecasting and can be used to develop a landslide early warning system.

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